2009 Christmas Letter (Part 1)

Dear friends and family,

This second annual Andy Marso Christmas letter finds your protagonist at the end of a year full of changes. As you can see from one of the enclosed photos, I now have a second adorable niece (although the chilly Milwaukee weather ensured that you can't see too much of her). Elizabeth was born in September and she and her older sister Ellie get along wonderfully so far. Ellie is three years old now and is a little chatterbox. Elizabeth is a quiet, serene baby. It's a nice mix.

The other big changes started in March when I was laid off along with most of the rest of the staff of The Olathe News. Not sure exactly what the impetus was. Something about the "worst economic collapse since the Great Depression" coupled with the "demise of the newspaper industry as we know it," or some such thing. Losing my job was not a surprise (it was the third round of lay-offs in a year), but it was disappointing. It was a job that never felt like work and I had grown close to many of my co-workers.

But one thing my battle with meningitis has taught me is that you have to be willing to embrace life's detours and see where they lead. This particular detour took me first to Europe, which was easy to embrace. I used a portion of my severance pay and my suddenly-ample free time to visit friends in Germany, Italy and France, with a solo trip to Switzerland in between. For those of you wondering about my health, I took about a 10K hike through the Alps (see other enclosed photo), so I guess I'm doing alright.

It was my first trip to the Old Country since college and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had just one regret, and it brings me to a bit of advice for any single, male readers: If while on a train you strike up a conversation with an attractive Swiss girl who says she is on her way home to Zurich, do NOT be honest with her and say you're headed to Lucerne. Instead say, "What a coincidence, I'm going to Zurich too! And I could sure use a tour guide." (These great ideas always come to me well after the fact).

(To be continued)